The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-24
THE ooLAH"AND IT'S NOVEL PLOT.
Not Brilliant Outlook for the Drama
the Coming Season.

New YORK, July 23.-The opera des-
tined to succeed "Erminie" at the Casino
has been written and accepted 1t will be pro
duced in January next, or else the Casino
must forfeit 81 coo. The opera il the work
of Sydney Rosenfeld and the property of
Comedian Francis Wilson The latter is an
admirable business man as well as a capable
actor. He bought the opera outright from
Rosenfeld on his own Judgment, paying
down a large sum in cash, and then made
his dicker with the Casino. If it is a sue
cess it will make Wilson'S earnings very
! large. He receives a salary of 800 a week,
and this with his royalties from the opera
ought TO give him an income of forty odd
| thousand year.
The new piece bears the rather extraor-
binary name of "The Oolah.n 1t has to do
with the marriage laws of India. The gov
eminent, according to Mr.. Rosenfeld, hit
upon happy scheme for annihlating all
marital unhappinesSs. Whenever there
was row in the family the wife was in
stantly granted divorce for the asking.
The plan worked well for while but then
it was found that the wives often wanted
to remarry their former husbands. This
hurt the feelings of the government, and it
demurred. Finallyit hit upon happy de-
vice and allowed the divorced people to re-
marry again if the wife had meanwhile
the term of one year. 1t occurred to and
enterprising citizen to put himself up in
open market for the post of middleman and
allow himself to be married nominally to all
divorced women, that they might subse-
quently regain their former husbands. He
was called "The Oolah.n This is the part
thai Francis Wilson takes Thetrials, tribu-
lations and perplexities of man who acts
in the capacity of husband for all the di-
vorced women in India may be imagined
The opera ought to be very funny.
The public is fond of the comedians.
Everything of interest about them is eager
w read and talked about The other day
Henry Z. Dixey went to an Orphans Home
in Chicago, and the story of his visit was
instantly telegraphed all over the country.
He, like Wilson, is a man of keen business
Intelligence as well as of artistic quality
He is partner and director of the Bijou
Opera House in New York has an interest
IN two big burlesque companies, is back of
tho movement to bring Comedian John A.
Machey out in new play next month, and
meanwhile he keeps "Adonisn going mer-
rly to the tune Of aperscnal profit of about
$50 900 year. 1t takes q shTewd head TO
win at every turn. Plans are made out far
ahead Dizzy now has in his safe q com
plete burlesque of Irving's Faust" which
has made such II distinguished success in
London. The American comedian will do
the burlesque next year after Irving has
made his tour through the country. | be-
lieve DiXey has not yet given the facts about
this burlesque to the papers. Tho news was
cabled from London yesterday, and the cat
is out of the bag It is not easy for man
Of Dixey's prominence TO keep such secret
No one to look at the nimblc and mirth-lov-
ing "funny men, of the stage, would give
them credit for having such long heads in
business matters. | wonder If they have
time to manufacture fun.
The outlook dramatically is no5 brilliant
The theatres are going back to stock com
panics. Sardou has written nothing new,
and with one important exception the native
dIamatists do not give promise OF great re-
suits. The exception is the play now in the
hands of David Belasco, and his colabora-
teur, De Mile One has rugged dramatic
strength; the other polish aud general liter
airy equipment. The two men live together
with their families in the country coming to
town one day every week 10 confer with
Daniel Frohman, the manager Of the Ly-
ceum Theatre where the play will be pro
duced In the fall with the new stock COM
pany. Belasco is black-headed, black-eyed,
sallow, thoughtful, intense, slow, forceful
and solemn. DE Mile is slight haired, light
eyed, thin, cheerful, casual, laxative,
humorous, and learned in textbook
lore and stage history. The combination Of
these two types may not bring forth great
SUCCESS, but il VIII certainly avoid the rock
on which so many American dramas have
come TO grief-the commonplace.
BLAKELY HALL.